Chinese Pistache Tree

I see that Texas A&M has given the Chinese Pistache tree it's Superstar designation. The plantfiles says it's invasive. Does anyone in the Houston area have one of these and what's your opinion. I bought one last year to replace some pines we lost to beetles. I'm now thinking I may have been better off with a chalk maple. Should I dig it up??? Interested in hearing local performance opinions.

Crow

I waited to see if anyone from Houston would answer since it is closer to you, but..................so here goes.

We live in SW Austin, in Hill Country, so we probably don't have near the humidity you have, but I have this tree. And we love it. It does grow some berries, but they have not been invasive, and the color in the fall ROCKS. We bought it because it was listed as a superstar......we have most of those plants.

Thanks for the info on it. I'm happy I won't have to dig it up! I guess nobody in Houston is growing this one. I'm hoping for some fall color. Dig you have to "top" your's to get it to branch out?

We bought ours at Ted's Trees in Austin........the trunk was about 3 inches around, and it was about 16 feet high.

When it was delivered they had topped it by about 5 feet because they had cut some of the roots in the transplant.

I'll hunt through some pics to show you the color. No color change the first year, but after it was established we had color. And I think that depends on the weather.......a slow cool down equals color........quick freeze equals no leaves to color.

I could not find our fall color shots.......maybe my DH has them on his computer......but here is the tree.